Actor Edward Norton debuts as a director with this comedy-drama about love, friendship, and faith. Priest Brian Finn (Norton) and rabbi Jacob Schram (Ben Stiller) have known each other since childhood. When Anna Reilly (Jenna Elfman), whom they both knew as children, returns to New York, both men find themselves infatuated with her, sparking both rivalry and personal dilemmas: Brian has taken a vow of celibacy, and Jacob is allowed to marry only within his faith. Award-winning director Milos
Forman appears in the supporting cast, alongside Anne Bancroft, Ron Rifkin, and Eli Wallach; the screenplay marks the debut of writer Stuart Blumberg, whom Norton met when they were both undergraduates at Yale. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Ed Norton directs (say what!!!) this comedy built around, of all things, the opening of a joke ("Priest and a rabbi walk into a bar ..."). This effort is spiked with loads of cultural references and pithy one-liners, has enough charisma to win a war, so it is in its unbelievable premise finally that it falters.
"If you have to believe in something, you might as well believe in love."A story about two friends, a priest and a rabbi, who fall in love with the same beauty (Jenna Elfman)REVIEWNorton and Stiller are clergy (a priest and a rabbi, sounds like the start of a joke), Elfman is their friend who is secretly
dating Stiller and who is secretly loved by Norton. What I think is most exceptional about this movie is the way it portrays these clergy as cool guys - I mean, there's really cool clergy just like there's really cool fireman and loggers and truck drivers. And it does so in a way that doesn't entirely compromise their faith, although some of the stuff Norton says or does is not quite right (and for the moment I'm not talking about his attraction to Elfman). I am also a huge Elfman fan, I think she's beautiful as well as extremely effective in her roles. Seeing this film made me wonder if Ben would be better served by serious roles more often, he's very effective and avoids the silliness and gross humor that can sometimes sabotage his comic performances. Nice supporting work by Bancroft and the always appreciated Wallach. Recommended for light entertainment.
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